Packing lighter

ABSTRACT

A packing lighter that includes an ignite activation portion and a middle portion that stores an ignitable substance. The packing lighter further includes a tip that removably attaches to the middle portion, or a sleeve that removably slides over the middle portion. The tip and the sleeve are a shape and size that is suited to fit into a smoking device to pack a smokable substance into the smoking device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a lighter that is capable of packingsmoking substances in a smoking device and, more particularly, to alighter with a tip portion that may be used to pack smoking substancesin a smoking device, where the tip portion is hollow and may be used tostore the smoking substances therein.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Humans have smoked various substances for hundreds, if not thousands, ofyears. Tobacco and marijuana are two commonly smoked substances, andthere are many more substances that are and historically have beensmoked by people. There are various ways to smoke substances, forexample by using smoking devices such as pipes, bowls, bongs, etc.Often, the substance to be smoked, i.e., the smoking substance or“smokable”, is packed into a smoking device using a tool, finger, etc.,and then lit with a lighter and smoked. It would be useful to have asingle device that is capable of packing and lighting the substance tobe smoked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a packinglighter that includes an ignite activation portion and a middle portionthat stores an ignitable substance. The packing lighter further includesa tip that removably attaches to the middle portion, or a sleeve thatremovably slides over the middle portion. The tip and the sleeve are ashape and size that is suited to fit into a smoking device to pack asmokable substance into the smoking device.

Additional features of the present invention will become apparent fromthe following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of one embodiment of a packing lighter;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a tip of the packing lighter;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of another embodiment of a packing lighter;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a tip of a sleeve of the packing lighter;and

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a packing lighter with a sensor thatdetects leaks in an ignitable substance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The following discussion of the embodiments of the invention directed toa packing lighter is merely exemplary in nature, and is in no wayintended to limit the invention or its applications or uses.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a packing lighter 10 that includes alighter portion 12 with an ignite activation portion 14. The lighterportion 12 and the ignite activation portion 14 operate in a knownmanner. A middle portion 16 stores an ignitable substance, such asbutane. A tip 18 is also included that is detachable and is a shape andsize that is particularly suited to fit into a smoking device such as apipe, bowl, etc., such that a smokable substance may be packed into thesmoking device by using the tip 18 of the packing lighter 10. The tip 18may be made of any suitable material, such as plastic or metal, wheremetal may be preferred to avoid melting or burning of the tip 18 whenused to pack a hot smokable substance and/or when inserted into a hotsmoking device such as a hot pipe. A clip 50 may also be included toallow the lighter packing 10 to be removably attached to an article, forexample, clothing. The lighter packing 10 may further include a texturedgrip 52 that allows the tip 18 to be removed and attached more easily.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the tip 18 of the packing lighter 10. Thetip 18 may be removably attached to the middle portion 16 using, forexample, threads 20. The threads 20 are merely exemplary as any suitablemeans may be used to removably attach the tip 18 to the middle portion16.

A channel 24 in the middle portion 16 is provided and may be accessed byremoving the tip 18. The channel 24 is used to introduce an ignitablesubstance, such as butane, into the middle portion 16. Removing the tip18 also allows an inner region 26 of the tip 18 to be accessed. Theinner region 26 is hollow and capable of holding items such as smokablesubstances. Thus, a user of the packing lighter 10 may remove the tip18, retrieve a desired amount of a smokable substance from the innerregion 26, reattach the tip 18, pack the smokable substance into asmoking device using the tip 18 and light the smokable substance usingthe lighter portion 12 and the ignite activation portion 14.

A cover 22 may be placed at a top region of the tip 18 that connects tothe middle portion 16. The cover 22 serves to prevent spilling of asmokable substance stored in the inner region 26 and also protects thesmokable substance in the event the butane or ignitable substance leaksfrom the channel 24. The cover 22 may be made of any suitable material,such as rubber, silicone, latex, etc.

The size of the packing lighter 10 may be any suitable size. The size ofthe tip 18 may vary, and also may be of any suitable size. For example,the packing lighter 10 may be approximately 3.5 inches in length andapproximately 1 inch in diameter. The tip 18 may be, for example,0.5-1.0 inches long and 0.75 inches in diameter. The shape of thepacking lighter and tip may be any suitable shape, for example,cylindrical. The middle portion 16 and the tip 18 may be the same shapeor may be different shapes. The material of the middle portion 16 andlighter portion 12 may be any suitable material, for example, plastic ormetal. The middle portion 16 and/or the tip 18 may be smooth ortextured.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a packing lighter 30 that includes alighter portion 32 with an ignite activation portion 34. The lighterportion 32 and the ignite activation portion 34 operate in a knownmanner. A middle portion 36 stores an ignitable substance, such asbutane. A sleeve 38 slides overtop at least part of the middle portion36. The sleeve 38 is a shape and size that is particularly suited to fitinto a smoking device such as a pipe, bowl, etc., such that a smokablesubstance may be packed into the pipe, bowl, etc. using the end of thesleeve 38. The sleeve 38 may be made of any suitable material, such asplastic or metal, where metal may be preferred to avoid melting orburning when used to pack a hot smokable substance. A keychain loop 42may also be included to allow the lighter 30 to be removably attached toitems such as a keychain.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the end of the sleeve 38. As shown, thesleeve 38 fits over the middle portion 36 such that an inner region 40is created. The inner region 40 provides a gap that separates the end ofthe sleeve 38 from the butane containing middle portion 36. Thus, theend of the sleeve 38 may be inserted into a hot pipe, bowl, etc. withoutexposing the middle region to the inside of the pipe, bowl, etc.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a packing lighter 60 that includes a butanesensor 62 that detects leaks of the ignitable substance, where likeelements from FIGS. 1 and 2 are identified by the same referencenumerals. The sensor 62 is connected a circuit board 64, a battery 66and an alarm 68. The alarm 68 may be audio, visual, vibration or somecombination thereof. A barrier 70 is attached to a face of the alarm 68,where the battery 66 is next to an opposing face of the alarm 68.According to this embodiment, the battery 66 is sandwiched between thealarm 68 and the circuit board 64, however any suitable arrangement forthe sensor 62 may be used. The sensor 62 is removably inserted in themiddle portion 16 of the lighter 60 via a removable cap 72. The sensor62 fits inside the middle portion 16 beyond the threads 20. The sensorsits near a fill hole 74 in the middle portion 16 where an ignitablesubstance may be introduced into the middle portion 16.

The sensor 62 serves to detect a leak of the ignitable substance, shoulda leak from the middle portion 16 occur. For example, if the ignitablesubstance is leaking from the fill hole 74 the sensor will detect theleak and the alarm 68 will indicate that a leak has been detected. Thesensor 62 serves to protect the contents of the tip 18 fromcontamination that may occur as a result of a leak of the ignitablesubstance from the middle portion 16. The removable cap 72 may alsoprotect the contents stored in the tip 18 as well as hold the sensor 62in place.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplaryembodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art willreadily recognize from such discussion and from the accompanyingdrawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variationscan be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A packing lighter, said lighter comprising: anignite activation portion, said ignite activation portion capable ofproducing a flame; a middle portion, said middle portion attached to theignite activation portion and capable of storing an ignitable substance;a tip, said tip being removably attached to the middle portion, whereinthe tip is a shape and size that is suited to fit into a smoking deviceto pack a smokable substance into the smoking device.
 2. The packinglighter according to claim 1 wherein the tip is hollow and used to storedesired items.
 3. The packing lighter according to claim 2 wherein thetip is used to store the smokable substance.
 4. The packing lighteraccording to claim 1 wherein the tip is made of a material that will notmelt or burn when placed in a hot smoking device.
 5. The packing lighteraccording to claim 1 further comprising a clip that is capable ofremovably attaching the packing lighter to a desired article.
 6. Thepacking lighter according to claim 1 wherein the tip is removablyattached using threads.
 7. A packing lighter, said lighter comprising:an ignite activation portion, said ignite activation portion capable ofproducing a flame; a middle portion, said middle portion attached to theignite activation portion and capable of storing an ignitable substance;and a removable sleeve, said sleeve removably sliding over the middleportion, wherein a gap within the end of the removable sleeve separatesthe middle portion from the end of the removable sleeve, and wherein thesleeve is a shape and size that is suited to fit into a smoking deviceto pack a smokable substance into the smoking device.
 8. The packinglighter according to claim 7 wherein the sleeve is made of a materialthat will not melt or burn when placed in a hot smoking device.
 9. Thepacking lighter according to claim 7 further comprising a clip that iscapable of removably attaching the packing lighter to a desired article.10. The packing lighter according to claim 7 wherein the packing lighteris approximately 3.5 inches in length.
 11. The packing lighter accordingto claim 7 wherein the packing lighter is approximately 1 inch indiameter.
 12. The packing lighter according to claim 7 wherein thepacking lighter is cylindrical.
 13. A packing lighter, said lightercomprising: an ignite activation portion, said ignite activation portioncapable of producing a flame; a middle portion, said middle portionattached to the ignite activation portion, wherein the middle portion isused to store an ignitable substance therein that is used by the igniteactivation portion to produce a flame; a sensor located within themiddle portion and seated below the stored ignitable substance, saidsensor capable of detecting a leak of the ignitable substance from themiddle portion; and a tip, said tip being removably attached to an endof the middle portion, wherein the tip is below the sensor, and furtherwherein the tip is a shape and size that is suited to fit into a smokingdevice to pack a smokable substance into the smoking device.
 14. Thepacking lighter according to claim 13, wherein the sensor includes acircuit board, a battery and an alarm.
 15. The packing lighter accordingto claim 14, wherein the alarm is audio, visual, vibration or somecombination thereof, said alarm activating when a leak of the ignitablesubstance is detected by the sensor.
 16. The packing lighter accordingto claim 13 wherein the sensor sits near a fill hole in the middleportion where an ignitable substance is introduced into the middleportion.
 17. The packing lighter according to claim 13 wherein the tipis hollow and may be used to store desired items.
 18. The packinglighter according to claim 13 wherein the packing lighter may be anysuitable shape.
 19. The packing lighter according to claim 13 whereinthe packing lighter is approximately 3.5 inches in length.
 20. Thepacking lighter according to claim 13 wherein the packing lighter isapproximately 1 inch in diameter.